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In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma’s state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Some stories included here are behind paywall or require subscription. Subscribe to In The Know and see past editions.
New from OK Policy
Policy Matters: Oklahoma voters deserve choices at the polls: Pop quiz: Do you feel your values are reflected in the votes of your state and local lawmakers? If the answer is yes, then the status quo is working just fine for you. But if the answer is no — if you feel like the decisions being made at the Capitol or the courthouse don’t quite line up with your hopes for Oklahoma — then the next few weeks could matter more than you think. [Shiloh Kantz / The Journal Record]
State Government News
Drummond Sues State Board Over Handling of Jewish Charter School Application: The statewide governing board overseeing charter schools has once again drawn the ire of Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond over its handling of an application for a religious school. [Oklahoma Watch]
Oklahoma senators warn effort to ban sexually explicit books could block students’ Bible access: A bill advancing through the Legislature aimed at removing sexually explicit books from schools could take the Bible off of library shelves and would be a nightmare to navigate, critics said. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma Senate advances bill banning sexual, obscene books from school library shelves [KOSU]
Legislative Roundup
- Several music-related bills advance in Oklahoma’s legislature [KOSU]
- Bills addressing 988 funding, mental health treatment advancing in Oklahoma legislature [KOSU]
- Oklahoma lawmakers advance bill to increase physical education in schools [News 9]
- Bill focusing on modifying established tax incentive program passes Senate [KSWO]
- Oklahoma House approves bill banning state from displaying LGBTQ+ pride flags [Oklahoma Voice]
- Lawmakers looking to try to change TSET again [KFOR]
Opinion: Tax cuts easy to promise, but what replaces lost revenue?: Campaign seasons are full of promises about cutting taxes. Those promises can sound simple on the campaign trail. Governing, however, is rarely simple. [Former State Rep. Mark McBride / The Oklahoman]
- From OK Policy: Tax cuts and building a better future in Oklahoma (Policy Matters) | Taxes = Community (video)
Federal Government News
Trump’s Iran war is estimated to cost in the billions already, with no end in sight: Members of Congress have not formally authorized a war in Iran, though they may soon be expected to approve emergency funding for the endeavor without any projection from the Trump administration as to how long it may last or the full cost, not just in dollars but in American troop and civilian lives. [Oklahoma Voice]
No easy answers for senators grappling with college sports pay: A U.S. Senate panel on Tuesday added to the fierce debate over compensation for student-athletes, with senators and experts agreeing the current system wasn’t working but with different ideas for a path forward. [Oklahoma Voice]
Democrats sue Trump administration for information on possible plans for troops at polls: The Democratic National Committee Tuesday filed a lawsuit in federal court aiming to force the Trump administration to admit if it plans to send armed federal law enforcement or U.S. troops to polling locations in the upcoming midterm elections. [Oklahoma Voice]
Tribal Nations News
Creek Freedmen want election postponed until citizenship fight resolved: Descendants of Black people enslaved by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation are demanding postponement of an upcoming tribal election until they are approved for citizenship. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Tribal gaming officials sound alarm over prediction markets, threat to Indian gaming: Tribal gaming officials are sounding the alarm about prediction markets, or events-based wagering that operates outside the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) framework and tribal-state compacts. [KOSU]
- Tribes urged to address prediction markets in light of potential impact on compacts [Tulsa World]
Voting and Election News
Kevin Hern launches U.S. Senate campaign, opens Tulsa-based congressional race: With U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) awaiting pending confirmation of his appointment as U.S. secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK1) broke the seal today on what will likely be a crowded Republican field in an open primary for the Senate seat. [NonDoc]
- Rep. Kevin Hern launches campaign for Mullin’s U.S. Senate seat [The Oklahoman]
- Hern announces bid for open Oklahoma Senate seat [KOSU]
Did New Petition Rules Kill Oklahoma’s Open Primaries Initiative?: For now, Oklahoma voters will not get to weigh on whether they want their state to open taxpayer-funded primary elections to independent voters and give all candidates a chance to participate in the process from the start. [Independent Voter News]
- From OK Policy: SB 1027 would exclude millions of registered voters from signing initiative petitions
Education News
Education Watch: What’s Behind Oklahoma’s Education Ranking?: “Oklahoma’s 50th in education.” Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Gentner Drummond has said it. So has Cyndi Munson, the Oklahoma House Democratic Leader, who’s also running for governor. Teachers and Board of Education members have, too. We wanted to know: Are we really 50th? If so, why? And says who? [Oklahoma Watch]
- Behind the Rankings: How WalletHub Determined Oklahoma is 50th in Education [Oklahoma Watch]
The great tech debate: Should Oklahoma students use screens in the classroom?: The Oklahoma legislature is considering measures to push back against the rising tide of ed tech. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]
Stacy Leeds officially introduced as TU’s first female president: The historical significance is not lost on Stacy Leeds. A Muskogee native and a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Leeds was formally introduced Wednesday as the next president of the University of Tulsa — an institution that originated in Muskogee as a boarding school for Indigenous girls. [Tulsa World]
- Stacy Leeds vows to be ‘clutch player’ as she returns home to lead The University of Tulsa [Tulsa Flyer]
Health News
How a new Tulsa rehab center seeks to fill a health care void: The DEFY Center — short for Don’t Ever Forget Yourself — is Tulsa’s first activity-based therapy and community center. The center represents the dream of Tulsan Chris Lieberman, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in March 2016 after falling off a ladder. [Tulsa Flyer]
Criminal Justice News
Jail trustee wants investigation of chairman over jail staff pay raises: Oklahoma County Jail Trustee the Rev. Derrick Scobey is calling for an investigation of trust Chairman Jim Holman’s approval of pay raises for jail staff, and for Holman’s resignation if he is conclusively found to have acted against the trust’s express direction. [The Oklahoman]
OKC pushes back against allegations of civil asset forfeiture scheme: Oklahoma City officials are disputing allegations that the city is improperly keeping hundreds of thousands of dollars that should have gone to citizens, victims or courts. [The Oklahoman]
Community News
Amid calls to relocate ‘Klan trophy,’ Tulsan wants process to review controversial monuments: After launching a fundraising effort in February to remove a controversial statue in Owen Park, James Taylor with the Tulsa nonprofit Kitty Gang Family Foundation asked the Tulsa Park and Recreation Board to develop a petition process for residents who want monuments to be reviewed for controversial material. [Tulsa Flyer]
Local Headlines
- Tulsa City Councilors propose charter amendment for public safety oversight office [Tulsa World]
- Project Anthem data center could go away if phase two not approved, Tulsa city official says [Tulsa World]
- Mayor Holt dedicates new landmark in OKC [KFOR]
Quote of the Day
“Nobody likes paying taxes. No one wakes up excited about writing a check to the government. But taxes are the price we pay for the basic things that make a society function — roads, bridges, schools, law enforcement and the services that hold communities together.”
– Mark McBride, a former member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, arguing that while cutting taxes may be politically appealing, Oklahoma must still generate enough revenue to fund core public services and meet its constitutional requirement to maintain a balanced state budget. [The Oklahoman]
Number of the Day
$5.7 billion
The amount Oklahoma property taxes generated for local governments last year. This funding is a cornerstone of local budgets, supporting schools, public safety, infrastructure, and other essential community services. [OK Policy]
Policy Note
States Can Make Property Taxes Fairer Without Shortchanging Local Services: States can reform property taxes to be more equitable without draining resources from essential services by adopting policies like circuit breakers, more progressive assessments, and targeted relief measures. These tools help protect low- and moderate-income homeowners or renters from excessive tax burdens while preserving local government capacity to fund schools, infrastructure, and public services. Such an approach balances fairness with fiscal stability. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
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